STATE NEWS — A new handgun permit type, continuing education requirements for residential contractors, and an elder abuse act are just several examples of Tennessee state laws that will go into effect at the stroke of midnight tonight.

Tennessee will now offer a conceal carry only permit that includes no “live fire” requirement. As of January 1, residents of Tennessee can obtain the new permit after at least 90 minutes of online training. With the addition of Tennessee, online conceal carry only permits are now available in 29 states.

Two other new Tennessee laws reference contractors and codes. One establishes a continuing education requirement for residential contractors. Also, as of January 1, 2020, electrical inspectors employed by a municipality, a county, or the state must be certified by the state fire marshal.

Also of note is that the Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019 goes into effect on January 1. It stiffens the punishment for cases of elder abuse that result in physical harm from a class C to a class B felony and increase the potential jail time to 30 years and the fine to $25,000.

For a complete list of all 18 new Tennessee laws going into effect on January 1, click here. •

{The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}